DEP cites county water authority

CONEMAUGH TOWNSHIP- — The Somerset County General Authority has beenflagged for violations by the state Department of EnvironmentalProtection, but a recording error may be to blame.

On Monday water manager Chris Meyer of the Somerset County GeneralAuthority told members of the Conemaugh Township Municipal Authoritythat water tests from August and September showed dangerous levels oftotal organic carbon — which can cause cancer if consumed in highvolumes — from a treatment plant of the Quemahoning Reservoir.

According to Meyer, the water’s total organic carbon level was foundto be several times higher after going through the plant. The resultswere recorded by Geochemical Testing, a certified analysis lab inSomerset. The water quality is tested monthly.Meyer, however, said the testing was flawed.“We looked at everything under the sun and we deemed it impossible,”he said. “(But) the bottom line is it stands as a result.”According to Meyer, a DEP representative agreed that the testing wasprobably faulty. But the authority is required to inform all of itswater customers of the violation within 30 days of receiving the notice. The department did not send the notification until last week.

He stressed that the findings did not pose an immediate health risk,and that total organic carbon levels have been back to normal eversince October. Total organic carbon is often a measure of a water'soverall cleanliness. High levels are often caused by decaying plantmatter.

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"We've exhausted all our other means to come up with an explanation.We have to take responsibility," Meyer said.

Conemaugh Township Municipal Authority member John Mastillo said he'dlike the county general authority to reimburse them for the estimated$200 cost of mailing notification letters. Affected Conemaugh Townshipresidents live in the Jerome area.

All Que customers throughout Somerset and Cambria counties are toreceive the notifications.